The Effect of learning resources on enrollment for higher education and career advancement in Kenya

Abstract

The higher education space appears to have greatly evolved in the last two decades following a raft of reforms. Education and career growth are widely perceived to be intricately interlinked. Education leads to overall economic growth as well as increased income for the individuals. This has resulted to an increase in demand for higher education as individuals advance in their cognitive and social skills leading to development in human capital. However, the attainment of higher education is dependent on the quantity and quality of inputs which shape the outcomes. To address this gap, the paper examined the effect of learning resources on the pursuit of higher education and career advancement in Kenya. Career advancement increases individual’s competitiveness and translates to deliberate progression in work and socioeconomic growth. The paper is motivated by the human capital theory which associates higher education to increase in productivity of human beings through improved skills, the social cognitive career theory which explains self-efficacy and academic efficacy to individual economic development as well as the input output theory which in this context links the learning resources as inputs in higher education and the acquired academic knowledge which is an output to career advancement of primary school teachers. Findings from the study revealed the significant role played by the available learning resources. The study recommends that the MOE, TSC and education stakeholders, leverage on the findings from the study when making decision regarding higher education in relation to career advancement and growth.